The present invention relates to processing of realtime video signals, and more particularly to time warping for video viewing by managing delay, review and continuation of realtime video signals.
Live video, broadcast video, one-way cable video and scheduled pay-for-view video provide time linear video signals, i.e., the program begins at a certain time and runs for a definite duration with constant rate. In many situations once the program begins the viewer has no control over the source of the video. In these cases the video is referred to as being "realtime". When viewing realtime video, if a viewer's attention is required elsewhere, such as for answering the telephone or doorbell, responding to family crises, someone walking in an office, and the like, the information or entertainment in the program is lost. One way to avoid losing information or entertainment value is to record the program as it is being viewed on a video cassette recorder (VCR). In this way if interruptions occur, after the completion of the program it can be replayed to recover the portions missed during the interruptions. However this destroys the continuity of the viewing and decreases the information or entertainment value of the program.
What is desired is a time warping of the video program so that the viewer may view the program in its entirety in a linear or non-linear manner without loss of information or entertainment value despite interruptions in order to increase the value and control of the information or entertainment.